Staten Island Bed Bug Map

The Borough of Staten Island, New York

Staten Island is the opposite of what most people think of when they imagine New York City. There is a huge misconception that New York City is simply a densely populated metropolis, but Staten Island is an incredibly suburban area full of forests and parks. For people that enjoy accessibility to the metropolitan way of life but want to come home to something a bit simpler, Staten Island is the place for you.

Staten Island through the Twentieth Century

Staten Island has been a part of New York City since the end of the nineteenth century, but there was no means to visit any other borough without either traveling through New Jersey or traveling by water until 1964, when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was constructed.

This bridge connected the borough to Brooklyn, allowing residents of Staten Island to commute to the other boroughs of New York City more quickly and effectively.

The increase in accessibility led to a population boom. Before the bridge was built, Staten Island was mostly farmland and small agrarian communities, but the bridge opened up the ability to live in Staten Island and commute easily to Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan for work. Naturally, many people also chose to move from the more densely populated boroughs to the newly accessible Staten Island.

Staten Island – A Unique Take on Suburban Life

Staten Island’s population has grown dramatically in the last fifty years, but it still remains significantly less densely populated than any other New York borough. After the initial explosion in population, Staten Island now experiences a relatively stable population of around 450,000 residents. In terms of land mass, Staten Island is just under sixty square miles, larger than Manhattan and the Bronx, but smaller than Brooklyn and Queens.

Staten Island Secession Efforts

Staten Island was originally named Richmond until it was renamed in 1975. Staten Island has always had a unique relationship with New York City as a result of its outsider status.

Many residents have nicknamed Staten Island, The Forgotten Borough, because of the way it has been treated by New York City in the past.

In 1993, many Staten Island citizens actually voted to leave New York City so that they could more accurately meet their own needs as a community, but Staten Island never gained enough support to succeed in secession. Since the early 90s, the desire to become an independent community has waned.

About Staten Island

Staten Island is very suburban as a whole, but there is some diversity in the landscape. Neighborhoods like St. George, Clifton, Tompkinsville, and Stapleton are quite urban, owing to their location near both New Jersey and Brooklyn.

Along the eastern beaches of Staten Island is the F.D.R. Boardwalk. The boardwalk offers a beautiful view of the ocean and gorgeous sandy beaches. There are also lots of places to shop along the boardwalk and there are lots of fun things to do like fish, bicycle, and rollerblade.

There are also two neighborhoods on this side of Staten Island which have been deemed Historic Districts: Saint George and Saint Paul’s Avenue-Stapleton Heights. There are many unique, historic Victorian homes in these neighborhoods.

The southern region of Staten Island used to be very lightly populated, but since the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was built the area has become increasingly suburban. The western side of Staten Island is the industrial region of Staten Island, and thus has the fewest permanent residences.

Riding The Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island Ferry is the most well-known landmark of the entire borough. Millions of people use the ferry every day in order to travel directly from Staten Island to Manhattan.

Staten Island appeals to both resident and tourist because it provides fast and easy travel to Manhattan with amazing views of both the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan Skyline.